This was a really interesting way to present a cyberpunk world. You get the usual sorts of plotlines with corrupt police, invasive surveillance, legendary hackers, mega corps ruling the world, strange things happening with A.I.s and the like, but here's the twist: you're barely involved in any of it. You're a bartender. These things mostly effect some of your patrons, who won't necessarily let you in on their secrets. You can get some more detail on those things by reading blogs, the news, or this gender flipped version of 4chan, but you don't have to, and you there's only so much an ordinary bartender can learn.

So what is your role if you're just a bystander for most of that? This is a game about conversations and relationships. It's about learning who your regulars are and being the supportive ear they need. It's about the protagonist coming to terms with her past, which could have happened just as easily in plenty of other settings. It's about watching a small community come together.

It's rare to see a game commit to such an unusual take on an established genre, and VA-11 HALL-A pulls it off very well. This is really something special, and you owe it to yourself to give it a try.